


Space Bars and force Choking

by CatalysticDragons, SlicedMilk



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars fallen order era
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bar fights, Bars, Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Fighting Rings, LGBTQ Character, Lightsaber Battles, Mentions of Sex, Mentions of drugs, Prosthetic legs, Queer Friendly, Space Bars, Space Pirates, Space Ships, Sparring, Swear Words, Swearing, Threats of Violence, Violence, curse words, cursing, mentioned/referenced violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:27:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22175554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatalysticDragons/pseuds/CatalysticDragons, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlicedMilk/pseuds/SlicedMilk
Summary: Space pirate and weapons dealer Starke Hass and her unusual crew meet an intriguing young ex-sith apprentice who is begrudgingly working with the first sparks of Rebellion. The universe doesn’t know what’s about to hit it.A Star Wars roleplay me and my buddy(catalysticbitch) are doing!Some parts may be slightly edited to read better, as the rp format is sometimes a bit off.





	Space Bars and force Choking

The dashboard on Starke’s ship started bleeping, an incoming message, encrypted as usual, the resistance were rightfully paranoid, the empire had been brutal in their search for the remaining Jedi and any scraps of rebellion were crushed as soon as they could organise themselves. The message was a weapon request, along with a few other pieces. They offered the very few credits they had and some physical labour type help as payment and asked to be messaged back if Starke could help. Starke's eyebrow raised, but she typed a quick response. In the co-pilot seat, Jerome watched her, his mouth quirked into a smug grin.

"OoooOoooh. What's that?"

"We have a weapon's delivery." She said curtly, but she still flashed him a shark-teeth grin, which her returned fiercely. Around them, the ship hummed; old, a bit dirty and filled to the brim with items of interest. Mostly, weaponry - but curiosities dotted the racks that hung from the walls. Even the cabin had some interesting pieces up on the walls.

"Oh nice. Who for?"

"Our good friends the resistance." Clicking her tongue against her teeth, she shuffled in her seat, studying the message again. "I've told them we'll meet them whenever they like, as long as we get our money and manpower, they can take what they want." 

"And if there's any funny business...?" His expression was ferocious, and she laughed, punching his arm lightly.

"Then you can have 'em, Jerome."

The location and time were decided quickly, and not long after the server hosting the resistance’s messages ceased to exist, a common practise for staying hidden. They had chosen to meet on Anoat, a frequent meeting place for pirates and other such space outlaws. The empire controlled the planet but mostly left it to rot, meaning it was safe enough for such illegal meetings. They were to meet with Jullag-someone they had done business with before-and a few others, those who dared to leave the safety of the planets still clinging onto resistance protection. It didn’t take them too long to get there, by all standards; soon they were standing in the dustbowl of Anoat, Hass shading her face from the harsh sun as she looked out over the mountains of discarded refuse. 

“What a shitpit.” She said, scrunching her nose. “You think there’s anything valuable out there?”

“Probably,” Jerome said, scratching his stomach, his mottled fur rippling in the breeze. “You wanna catch a drink before the galactic federation of pussies is upon us?”

“Sure, but I wouldn’t go around spouting that nonsense. You’re a big guy, but someone will come along who’s bigger and has more teeth.” She nudged him - despite his superior height, she still cut an impressive silhouette, and she seemed used to doing so. She pulled her hood up, the grey clothes and the bindings that swaddled her forearms and fists enough to keep the overbearing sun off her fair skin - and he, her hulking companion, grunted and pulled his own hood over his head.

“Ain’t met a man this side of the outer rim who could take a chunk out of me!” He growled and she laughed, nudging him with her elbow as they headed towards the poorly a constructed bar, sheltered from the midday sun by a large hill of debris. 

“Not a man, but certainly a woman like me.” She mused, and he huffed in return, sending her into more laughter.

The heavy doors were nothing; the zabrak pushed inside first, then her lasat co-pilot, and they melded into the lowlifes; smoothing themselves into the sordid circle they called home. Pirates and scavengers; all waiting for a taste of the high life, and the thrill of the chase. Here, two brutes from across the stars could find plenty of business. 

Slumping at a booth, Hass gave her order to Jerome and let him wander off to the bar. He’d probably eventually start a brawl to cover their escape with their contact, but for now, he was on the lookout for trouble while she relaxed; keeping her eyes peeled for their contact, Jullag.

It wasn’t terribly long after Starke got her drink before Jullag appeared from the crowds, the Rodian looked worse for wear than the last time Starke had seen him, and he looked almost relieved to see her. He was short, not the fighting type, his expertise was in talking, which he loved to do, much to many people’s annoyance. He wore the same sun-bleached jacket and slightly less sun-bleached jumpsuit he had last time they’d met. The resistance was really lagging behind, but they never gave up, something about giving the galaxy hope. He slid into the seat opposite her in the booth, looking older and more tired than she’d ever seen him.

“Hass, fancy meeting you here” he said sarcastically, and eyed the bar, looking for Jerome, wanting to avoid being snuck up on... again.

"Ahh, Jullie - aren't you a sight for sore eyes." She grinned, tilting her head to watch him slide in, then she quirked an eyebrow and whistled. "Man, you look like shit."  
As if summoned by the whistle, Jerome appeared from the crowd, leaning over Jullag's side of the booth, his face lit up in a savage smile.

"Heya, handsome." He said, waggling his eyebrows before he slunk to Hass' side and slid in next to her, forcing her to shuffle along with a roll of her eyes. "You look like you've been rawed six ways to sunday."

"That's what I said," Starke grunted, elbowing the lasat again - who whined and shied away from her deadly elbows. "So, you want some new toys, huh?" Jullag already looked tired of Jerome.

“Thank you for noticing how awful I look” he grimaces “yes, we need some more,” he checked around them before leaning forward and speaking much quieter “the higher ups have this idea of trying to take over a toll ship in the outer rim, use it as a base” he doesn’t look convinced about the plan “so here I am” he leans back in his seat, sighing “again. Although this time I have some other with me so it’s not just me paying you back,” then he mutters under his breath “thank the force”

"Well, we have some choice items for you back at the ship. You can peruse them at your leisure." She swigged her drink lazily, glancing into the crowd. "You said you had a friend? I love meeting new people." Jerome shotted his glass, ears twitching as he waited for the new friend to appear; tapping out a rhythm on the rough surface of the table. Jullag sighs outwardly, he doesn’t like whoever this person is.

“I doubt you’ll like this new person” he grimaces again “he’s...” then he perks up a little “actually he’s a zabrak, maybe you can get some sense into him” he seems hopeful, but not very much so. Starke immediately cocked her head, pulling down her hood to reveal her half-shaved head and horns, her tuft of wild, blonde hair covering the horns on the other side of her head. 

"One of my lot, huh?" She shook her head, leaning back in her seat. "He'll probably shit himself if he sees me, Jullie." Grimacing, she tapped one of her horns, her brows drawn together. "You know... my people aren't. The best with men." Beside her, Jerome huffed, looking her up and down.

"You're telling us that? Oh man. As if you needed to." He immediately expected her retaliation and flinched away from her, cackling, but she just shot him a black scowl and he snorted at her, his tapping redoubling. "Oh come on, you're no fun..."

"Why do you even need me to talk sense into him?" Leaning forwards again, the zabrak tilted her head, observing Jullag from across the table. "What's my ass got that your godly green cheeks don't possess?" He looks uncomfortable.

“he’s” he leans in closer “a sith” he hates the word, and whispers it with venom. And it’s clear why whoever this sith is isn't here with him in the bar. To most, sith means empire, and they aren’t welcome at all here. “I can’t even believe they let him in” he gestures “it isn’t right. We shouldn’t have him helping us, he’s dangerous, and he doesn’t listen to anyone.” Jerome's eyebrows shot up, and he glanced between Starke and Jullag.

"A sith, huh?" He seemed fairly impressed, nodding to himself and sitting back. "Hot."

"Jerome," groaned the zabrak, rolling her eyes. "Can it." He grunted at her and sneered, but didn't argue. "Yeah, well. Not everyone can be a jedi." Though she didn't seem comfortable, it was a culture thing. She couldn't expect anyone to understand if they didn't have a headfull of horns. "No matter, you need all the help you can get, right?" Her eyebrow quirked, and she glanced across the bar. Nudging her companion, she gestured with one hand. "Go make a scene, will you? Me and Jullie will meet you back at the ship." Immediately lit up with savage glee, Jerome grabbed his glass and headed back to the bar. Hass necked her drink, and gestured for the rodian for follow her. "Let's get out of here before it all kicks off." Jullag nods and the two head out as chaos ensues. Once they’re a fair distance from the bar Jullag brings his comm up to his mouth.

“Keanu, come meet us” a moment or so later Jullag turns, seemingly about to complain about the lack of response, but jumps when he sees Keanu behind him “force, don’t do that” the taller man chuckles and Jullag looks frustrated, but also scared of the zabrak now infront of him. He’s got his hood up, but his eyes are still a piercing, fiery orange. Supposedly he’s a sith, but Starke cannot feel the force on him at all, he’s shielding it. Starke sees a look of wicked joy on Jollag’s face for a moment “Keanu, meet Starke” he gestures to the female zabrak. Keanu looks at her. Jullag is clearly hoping for some sort of shocked or scared reaction from the Male zabrak, but it doesn’t come, and he looks disappointed.

“Hey, I’m Keanu” he flashes a smile which is all fangs are Starke, seemingly unphased by her sex and it’s implications.

"A pleasure," she said, pleasantly surprised by his lack of fear. Hass liked power, but she didn't really want her allies to scamper about her feet as though she would snap them in half at any given second. "Relax, Jullie - it's my ship, and there'll be no funny business unless it's from Jerome." She flashed her teeth at both of them, then clanked the door to the ship open, gesturing for her guests to go inside. Before she ducked in herself, she whistled - the clear note carrying - and at the bar door, Jerome's shadow appeared, jogging out across the sands. Satisfied, she went inside; leaving the door open for her co-pilot as she went. "So, what kind of weapons were you looking for?" Languid, Starke took them through to the main room; a large space, decorated mostly by the items she had acquired over her lengthy time as a pirate. Most of the weapons were hung in great racks on the walls, but there were plenty of shelves and chests stuffed into the corners of the dimly-lit spacecraft, all practically overflowing with trinkets, prizes and weaponry of assorted value. "I got all sorts."  
Jerome stuck his head in through the doorway and glanced at the new zabrak, his large green eyes lighting up.

"Hoooo, you're a handsome one."

"Jerome, stop harassing our clients." Keanu took a moment to look at Jerome while Jullag was pulling up a list on his datapad. Keanu gave Jerome a quick grin.

“You’re not too bad yourself, big guy” keanu’s voice was smooth, quiet, his accent more akin to the core than the outer rim, again, unusual for a zabrak. Jullag glared at Keanu “we are here on business” he reminds the zabrak, who growls, the clearly don’t get on “You are here on business, I am here to make sure your business doesn’t get you killed.”

"As if we'd kill a valued customer," Hass replied smoothly, rolling her eyes. "Besides, Jullie knows what I deal is good." She waved one hand at Jerome, who wolf-whistled heartily at Keanu before she jabbed at him with her fist. "Behave!"

"But stAAAAAAAAAARKE," he protested as she rounded on him, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "You can't be the only one who brings babes back."

"Not now, Jerome!" She snapped, bearing her teeth at him in warning. "Later, later."

"Alright, later then," he relented, holding his arms over his broad chest, mouth fixed in a pout - but he still winked cheekily at Keanu once her attention was back on Jullag. 

"Let me see... Ah, yes, I think I can help you." As she moves to the racks, she chats idly to Jullag; about the quality of the weapons, the level of testing she's done - any restoration that has been needed and carried out. All the usual salesmen shpeel. In the background, ever present, Jerome kept one ear on what she was saying, but his eyes on the newcomer, watching him with intense curiosity.

Keanu seemed pacified at least a little, he was taking note of his surroundings, everything about him screamed seasoned warrior. Jullag spent an eternity picking out exactly what he wanted to take. Keanu watches him, his face void of emotion, all apart from his eyes, which burned, the colour seeming to shift like a wild fire if you looked at them for too long. As he stood, watching Jullag, he moved on of his legs, which upon inspection were prosthetics, the joints whirred a little as he seemed to test the leg, before looking down at it annoyed. Starke was preoccupied; she was far too busy dealing with Jullag to really pay the new zabrak any attention, though she was rather curious about him. A sith, but she couldn't feel his force connection - and she was usually pretty good at picking up on force buddies. Still, a sale was more important than anything else, so she was keeping her mind on the task at hand. After all, if anyone kicked off... Well, she wasn't some delicate thing. Her weapon was concealed; she didn't need to be flashy about it. What she held was a quiet power - walking softly, but carrying herself like a warrior.  
Jerome was the one who noticed the whirring, his ears twitching as he picked up on the noise. Those green eyes of his swivelled and identified the location immediately, watching Keanu's annoyed expression and his leg's position before he spoke.

"You good, homie?"

“One of the connectors is loose” Keanu says quietly, clearly knowing exactly how his legs work. He looks up to the lasat “you don’t mind if I use that table to do you?” He eyes a table in the room, then looks back to Jerome “I just need to take it apart real quick” Meanwhile Jullag is still unsure which of two identical weapons he should go for. He always takes forever choosing weapons, he takes his job seriously, maybe a little too seriously. Jerome waved one hand at him, snorting.

"Go ahead. We mostly eat our dinner in the cockpit. This is just for meetings."  
Behind him, Starke was patient, but her arms were folded across her chest, betraying her true feelings. She was letting him take his time, as was the way of Jullag, but she didn't have to particularly like the fact he took four hours to decide on a simple thing. She tilted her head, eyes wandering past him to appraise the sith, watching him work with quiet respect. Keanu had pushed his hood back, further revealing his tattoos and horns, he was young but scarred from battle. He worked quickly and quietly, the leg in question looked handmade apart from the shell, which had an elaborate pattern painted onto it, but it didn’t seem his style. Regardless, it only took him 2 or 3 minutes to repair the leg before he was up again, stood where he had been before, watching Jullag with disdain. Jullag finally decided on just getting both of them “Keanu’s paying anyway” he says to himself. Jullag, having now picked out everything, looks to Starke and begins to talk to her again about payment, some of which is credits, the rest of which is labour, which he gleefully states is Keanu’s job. Starke held out her hand.

“Excellent, pleasure doing business, as always.” She paused, tilting her head towards the sith, watching him as he worked diligently on his leg. “Oh? And here I was thinking I was going to have your company, Jullie,” she teased, but she didn’t seem to mind. Her mouth curled up at the corners and she was relaxed, apparently relieved Jullag had picked the items he needed.

“Well it sounds like we’ll be seeing a lot of each other,” rumbled Jerome, folding his arms across his barrel chest. “Won’t that be fun?”

“Jerome, please, not while Jullie is here,” Hass chide him, but it was impossible to keep him behaving himself for more than 5 minutes. Still, she wished he wasn’t so forward all the time with people he’d just met; not that she was much better, but there was a time and place for such advances. “I don’t care who pays, as long as someone does, we’re all good.” Jullag took her hand and shook it, then he transferred the credit portion of the payment before turning to Keanu, seemingly about to say something, but when he looks up to the zabrak’s burning golden eyes he decides against it, and starts to walk to the door.

“I’ll be in the ship, let me know when you’re done” and then he’s gone, he seems to dislike Keanu even more than he dislikes Jerome. Keanu looks to Starke and Jerome, he smiles briefly.

“looks like I’m all yours” Hass followed Jullag to the door and waved him off, then closed the ship and heaved a sigh.

“Well, we could use a hand tidying this place up,” she started, addressing Keanu. “Then after we’ll wake Yuna and go do some scrapping. May as well, while you’re here.” As she spoke, she gestured down the ship; from the large room they stood in, there was a single corridor with private rooms shooting off it. Those were evidently the crew’s quarters. The ship itself wasn’t massive; just a lithe little thing that could get them into trouble, then out again. Most didn’t give her a second look, but Starke was fond of her.

“Making him into a maid already?” Sneered Jerome, who immediately raised his paws to catch her fists. She growled at him and he grinned back, mouth splitting wide. “Thought you weren’t like your sisters.”

“I’m not,” she said bitterly, pulling her hands away from his, “it’s got nothing to do with that you fucking weirdo.” Keanu nods at the instructions 

“might as well get started then” he says, force pulling the mop and bucket to him, as he did Starke felt the subsequent tug in the force, for a moment catching a glimpse of how he felt. The force radiated off of him like a violently burning star, lethal and direct, all just beneath the calm, almost non threatening way he fronted currently. She visibly stiffened, eyes sliding to his, but said nothing. It wasn't often she felt a tug like that; it had been a long time since she was in the presence of anyone who was so... intense. Her usual companions were both force-sensitive, but neither were so brutally alive with it. Whoever Keanu really was, his abilities were no joke, and automatically Starke was on guard. Moving away from both boys, she started fussing over the weaponry, rearranging it on the shelves. Jerome threw himself down on the seats and lazed there, watching Keanu mop.

The silence was tense, and Hass felt awkward; not wanting to treat the man badly, but still wanting to keep herself and her companions safe.

Better my friend then my enemy, her mind chide her, and she conceded, finally speaking up.

"So, how'd you get involved with the resistance?" It was a casual question. She wasn't really involved with them, per se, but she did a lot of deals with them and it was evident that she wasn't on the side of the Empire, that was for sure. Keanu is quiet for a moment, he isn’t sure about her, Jerome he’s more comfortable with, but Starke was cautious of him, so he was cautious of her. 

“The empire had my master killed. Helping the resistance was... the natural progression of things.” He replies flatly, but inside he ached remembering it, he and his master had forged a strong force bond, his death had not only been emotionally painful, but the force itself had flared with pain around him. “That being said, I think I would’ve eventually sided with them anyway.” She nodded smoothly, her mouth twisting.

"I'm sorry about your master," she said quietly, knowing that it would have been hard. She'd never had a master, not really, but she had lost people she'd loved before. It was never easy. "I hope you get your vengeance. Make 'em bleed for what they did to you both." She flashed him her teeth - a grin, fierce but friendly - trying to impart that she did not want to be unsure or on guard around him. Still, the force within him had been a bit of a wakeup call, and she wanted to be absolutely sure he wouldn't hurt her or Jerome before she let him off the hook.  
Jerome picked his teeth, and snorted.

"A master, huh? You one of them fancy-pants force bastards?" There was no aggression in Jerome's voice, only curiosity - he knew about Starke, but he didn't really see her as one of them. She'd taught herself, and sure she had a lightsabre, but he didn't... Align her with the idea in his head. Starke was just Starke, just as he was just Jerome, and their ship was theirs and that was how it went. She could do all kinds of fancy jedi things, which had been cool initially, but he was used to it now. Still, his favourite would always be the mind trick. Nothing quite like watching clueless dipshits succumb to her will - though he was definitely on that list if she really wanted him to be. Keanu looks over to Jerome.

“yeah, I’m one of those bastards Why? You wanna see my lightsabre?” He winks at the lasat with a chuckle, clearly meaning them no harm, he is on guard as Starke as is, but it seems that’s mostly because he is trained in combat, and there is a very real war going on. Jerome licked his lips in a lewd, but practised gesture and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Keep talkin' like that to me and you'll have to."

"God, Jerome, you're so thirsty." Starke laughed at him, fiddling with the weapons on the rack; neatening them and adding a few more from the chest at her feet, replacing the gaps left by Jullag's shopping spree. 

"You keep me high 'n' dry," he grumbled, shooting her a look - and she met his gaze, one eyebrow quirking. 

"Oh, shut it." She snapped at him, looking back at her handiwork and sighing, hands resting on her hips as she appraised the display. "You'll scare him off if you're too eager."

"You're not scared by a big boy, are ya?" Jerome purred, leaning towards Keanu with a wicked smile. Keanu rolled his eyes with a grin, shaking his head.

“they’re my favourite” he teases, but walks away to continue his cleaning job, having now moved onto wiping down the surfaces and cleaning the buttons and panels. He’s actually pretty good at cleaning it would seem, he prides himself in doing a good job and being efficient, just as he was trained to be.

"Oooh boy! Got us a live one, here!" Jerome gnashed his teeth, letting out a throaty laugh, obviously enjoying himself far too much. Starke watched him, her mouth set in a line - though the corners were upturned. She was annoyed, but alas - she loved Jerome, despite his assholery. 

"Alright, I've sorted this out. I'll wake Yuna." Clicking her tongue against her teeth, she trotted down the hall, banging on the furthest door. "Yuna! Yuna, we're going scrapping. Let's go already." There was a muffled reply and Starke audibly grunted, kicking the door lazily. "Come oooooooooon." Keanu finishes up the last panel he was wiping down and looks over everything, making sure he didn’t miss anything from the room he was cleaning. He assumes that if they want him to clean any of the other rooms they’ll tell him, he’s not about to go walking around someone else’s ship without having been told he can, with pirates that’s a sure fire way to get yourself shot. Once he’s done he returns the cleaning supplies to where he found them and takes a seat opposite Jerome to wait for whatever his next instruction is, he’s been scrapping as many times as a survivor of a war is expected to have gone, but never on Anoat. Yuna opened the door, her freckled face scrunched into a frown, dark hair sticking up at all angles.

“Whaaa?” She slurred, and Starke rolled her eyes, arms folding across her chest.

“Get ready, Yuna. We’re going scrapping.” 

“Oh shit, cool yeah i’m comin’.” Surprised, but seeming fairly pleased, the Falleen scratched her ass through her boxers and turned, heading back into her room to rummage for decent clothing. Starke’s eyes lingered on her for a split second as she pulled her top up over her head, and then averted her gaze, heading back towards the living room.

“She coming?” Jerome said lazily, tilting his head towards his boss.

“Yeah, give her a minute.” Leaning in the archway between the corridor and the large room, Starke regarded the sith that sat between them, one eyebrow quirking. She wanted to like him; not just over their shared species, but because a powerful ally was a powerful ally, regardless of what side of the force they sat on. “You like scrappin’, Keanu?”

“Well I don’t dislike it” he says as he looks up to where Starke is stood “honestly haven’t gone in a while, living in resistance barracks is... dull.” He pauses as he thinks, his room is hardly a barrack, it’s more like a prison cell with how paranoid the resistance are that he’ll turn on them, or worse, side with the empire. Then he smiles at her a little “even if I didn’t like it I’d be excited to go, just for a change.”

“I promise running around with these two is anything but dull,” she said, jerking her thumb at Yuna’s room. There was a shuffling, but the rogue didn’t appear just yet. “They’re always keeping me on my toes.”

“We just like making a scene,” Jerome drawled, crossing then uncrossing his legs with a flourish. “Love being the centre of attention, me.” Yuna appeared, her scruffy, torn shirt tied in the middle to display her midriff, cargo pants desert-camo, long leather duster slung on her shoulders lazily. Aside from her scarf and her goggles, everything looked patched up and rough, but at least she looked the part. Her dark eyes fell on the sith and she whistled.

“New guy?”

“Yeah, resistance used him to pay half their weapons pickup.” Yuna grunted at Starke, and when they passed in the hall they brushed knuckles as a quiet greeting; evidently affectionate, but not overly. 

“Best get movin’ then, newbie. I’m Yuna, by the way,” she was as languid and lazy as Starke in her movements, but the pockets of her duster were filled with weapons of varying side, and she had a gun secured snugly in a holster at her side. She wasn’t scared and she wanted him to know it; with Starke and Jerome at her back, even though she was not a brawler, she felt safe. 

“Keanu” he introduces himself briefly as he stands up, he clearly respected the three of them as capable people, but he didn’t seem to feel unsafe either, despite being on a ship full of pirates and weaponry, usually one of the most dangerous situations you could get yourself into bar an empire prison cell. If he had a weapon, which he undoubtedly had, it wasn’t in sight, and he didn’t seem fond of flourishing it how others often did. He pulls his hood up as he stands, getting ready to go back into the sun, anoat had little cloud cover, atleast the mountains of pollution did something.

“Let’s move out then,” Hass gestured for the others to follow her, taking point as the ship’s heavy doors opened and she stepped out into the light, pulling her scarf and hood up. Jerome was next, them Yuna; leaving Keanu to take up the rear.


End file.
